Birth simulator

Abstract

The invention concerns an active and an interactive birth simulator for duplicating human pregnancy and the birth process, whereby the birth simulator has the following features: A womb torso 1 , a child model 2 , which is arranged in the womb torso 1 , whereby natural shape, size and positional ratios are preferably maintained, and the child model 2 is connected to a controllable drive 5 via a coupling device 7 , in order to move the child model 2 in the womb torso or to expel it from the womb torso 1 through the birth canal and a programmable control device is provided for controlling the drive 5.

1. A birth simulator with the following features:
 a womb torso of flexible material, 
 a child model of flexible material, which is arranged in the womb torso, wherein natural shape and size ratios and haptics are preferably maintained, the child model is connected to a controllable drive via 
 a coupling device in order to move the child model in the womb torso or expel it from the womb torso through a birth canal, and 
 a programmable control device for controlling the drive, which comprises a computer is provided, is hereby characterized in that 
 a sensor arrangement is provided for detecting forces and movements exerted onto the womb torso or the child model by an examining individual using the hands or medical instruments, wherein sensors of the sensor arrangement are fixed on the coupling device and/or the controllable drive and 
 the control device comprises 
 an admittance control or 
 an impedance control for controlling the drive elements, wherein the control device is configured so that measured signals supplied by the sensor arrangement are sent to the computer, in which 
 a simulation program is stored, which, when an exercising individual exerts external forces onto the child model, co-operates with the admittance control or the impedance control of the control device to cause the controllable drive to move the child model so that its movements correspond to the natural movement behavior of a child in its mother's womb during a certain examination or a certain phase of birth. 
 
   
   
     2. The birth simulator according to  claim 1 , further characterized in that several coupling devices and several controllable drives are provided for the movement of the child model. 
   
   
     3. The birth simulator according to  claim 1 , further characterized in that an optic display device connected by signal technology to the control device is provided, which shows the movements of the child in real time. 
   
   
     4. The birth simulator according to  claim 3 , further characterized in that the optic display device indicates hints and additional information. 
   
   
     5. The birth simulator according to  claim 1 , further characterized in that an acoustic generator connected by signal technology to the control device is provided for the generation of typical noises and articulations, which can occur during real examinations or during natural birth. 
   
   
     6. The birth simulator according to  claim 5 , further characterized in that the acoustic generators are integrated in the womb torso. 
   
   
     7. A child model, preferably for a birth simulator according to any one of  claims 1 – 6 , further characterized in that distance and/or force and/or pressure sensors, which are connected to the control device via signal technology, are arranged on the child model in the neck region and/or in the region of the skull, which consists of deformable segments.